Prompt 96 Writers Choice Feelings
by Robin Gurl
Summary: In the Hollywood Phantom Episode, Nancy declares that Frank probably has no feelings at all and it made me start thinking that he does but only with Joe.


#96 Writers Choice: Feelings.

By Robin Gurl

(I'm doing the 100 prompt thing on LJ and so this is just one of the few I've done. I was asked to post more of my HB but please be aware, they may NEVER be completed, they are just my way of torturing Joe. All of them take place in the 70s Series with Shaun Cassidy and Parker Stevenson. I will re-write an entire ep just to hurt Joe more.)

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the idea.

In the Hollywood Phantom Episode, Nancy declares that Frank probably has no feelings at all and it made me start thinking that he does, not like other people where it's trivial things like a female intuition, no it's different: he knows things like when Joe needs help. He can't say why or how but he does. Annnd this idea came out. O.o

Frank walked out of the bathroom still in his towel, dripping wet. He'd called out asking Joe if he'd finished packing and wanted to hop in the shower himself before meeting downstairs, he'd received no answer and a feeling told him that something was wrong. "Joe?"

Their suitcases were still not unpacked, in fact their pajamas were on the floor right at the giant dresser. He quickly scanned the room worried that someone had kidnapped Joe and saw his brother curled up on the bed.

He sighed and rolled his eyes before walking back into the restroom. He started to dry himself off calling out to Joe again, "If you just wanted to nap all you had to do was say so…"

At the very least he expected a groan or some sort of insult thrown his way, just not the eerie silence. He pulled his boxers on and then his jeans before walking back out into the room to go check on his little brother. "Joe stop playing games. Dad is waiting on us downstairs." Frank sat down on the bed knocking it a bit hoping to wake his brother up.

When Joe didn't respond for a third time, Frank reached over and shook his brother's shoulder, more worried than ever. He then noticed the warmth coming from the smaller body in front of him and his gaze narrowed, Joe was fine just an hour ago, wasn't he?

The room phone rang and Frank reached over his brother's form to answer it, "Oh, hi dad." Frank settled back on his knees and placed his free hand over Joe's forehead. "Dad, we need a doctor up here and quick, Joe's fallen to one of those fevers again." Frank hung up not even letting his father finish the usual instructions, he knew them. He had them memorized already. Joe had been getting these fevers since he was little.

Robotically, Frank hopped off the bed careful not the jolt it and ran to the restroom. He grabbed one of the white hotel washcloths off the shelf above the toilet and wet it in the sink. He rang it out before going back to Joe and first turning Joe on his back before placing the cool cloth on his brother's forehead. Then he undid the buttons on Joe's shirt not liking how feverish his brother already was. "Stay with me, Joe. Dad's getting a doctor, he'll be here soon."

Frank then noticed that he was still half undressed and quickly threw on a random T-Shirt from his suitcase. Just as he was about to settle beside Joe, a knock on the door came. Hoping it was his father and the hotel physician, he opened the door only to see Nancy. "How did you find our room?" His voice was wavering as it always did around her, her blue eyes stopped him in mid sentence as she crossed her arms looking annoyed.

"You promised me you'd be downstairs an hour ago, honestly, Frank. Can't you keep a time commitment?"

Her words stung slightly but Frank shook it off, "Look, I'm sorry alright, but somethings coming up, you need to leave."

A groan came from the other room and hoarse voice called Frank's name. "Something's come up? Like what? Another girl!"

Frank wanted to sarcastically respond to that question with 'Well, sometimes I wonder if you want the honest truth' but instead shook his head and moved out of the way to let her in. His main concern was Joe. "It's not another girl, it's Joe."

"Well, I knew you two were close but that's a little crazy even for you guys…" She said playfully not liking how dark Frank's eyes had gotten. "Frank, what's happened?" Then her eyes caught sight of Joe who was sitting up half undressed, skin feverishly red. When he stared over at them he seemed to be staring straight at her but his eyes were emotionless and dull, void of his usual excitement. "My word…Frank," She started whispering stopping just a few feet from the bed. "What's happened to him?"

Slowly Joe seemed to realize that there was a female in the room and that he wasn't in the best form to greet them properly, he clumbsly tried to close his shirt back up but his fingers were shaking to much. He mumbled a hoarse sorry trying to regain composure. Frank sat down on the edge of the bed and pulled his brother close, the obvious occurred to Nancy, Joe didn't try to pull away. Instead he lay his head on Frank's shoulder letting out a wet wheeze. Frank rubbed his back sighing, "Sorry about our canceled 'date', Nancy."

"Does he need a doctor?" Was all she could say in response, she felt uncomfortable standing there doing nothing when it was obvious Joe was in pain, even if it looked like he was too out of it to notice right now.

"No, my father is on his way with one, thank you though." Frank wasn't used to showing how he and Joe acted in public. Once Joe got to a certain age he no longer admitted that he wanted comfort in public and that it was up to Frank to realize when Joe was lying and really did need it, that would be when Frank would make up an excuse and they would go somewhere private until his little brother was ok. Now though, in front of Nancy, he felt that Joe was vunerable and there was nothing his brother could do to stand up for himself.

Suddenly Joe's weak voice interrupted the awkward silence, "Where are we, Frank?" It sounded more like it was coming from Frank's shoulder, and to Nancy it sounded garbled. Frank seemed to understand though and reached up to feel Joe's forehead, "We're in a hotel Joe, in L.A"

Joe leaned into Frank's cool hand and let out a weak sigh. "It happened again, didn't it?" His voice was stronger this time and he sat up unsteadily still holding onto Frank.

"Yes it did, I'm just glad you're awake. I got out of the shower, called to you, and when you didn't respond, I came out and saw you out on the bed." Frank was trying to sound joyful but it was obvious it was being forced. "Don't move too much, Joe. You've still got a high fever."

Joe sighed and didn't question his brother laying his head back on Frank's shoulder, this time facing out wards the room, he saw Nancy. "You have somewhere to be don't you?"

Nancy couldn't help but notice how Joe unconsciously tightened the grip he had around Frank, as if she were going to take Frank away.

"No, I don't." Frank said, his tone definite. "Just relax, Joe. Dad's on his way up."

Nancy felt halfway insulted by how sure Frank had declared that but didn't say a word as she looked around the room wondering where Mr. Hardy was. To answer her thoughts the door burst open and Mr. Hardy charged in, a stranger (probably the doctor) on his heels.

"Dad!" Joe cried out looking past Nancy.

Fenton was not used to Joe being awake when he had one of these fevers and stood there confused for a few seconds before sighing with relief and sitting on the bed beside his two sons. "Frank, you made it sound like this one was one of his worst…"

"It was, Dad. Up until twenty minutes ago he was out." Frank said letting his father take his brother out of his arms. "However, I'm not exactly sure how there, Joe is exactly."

"Stop talking about me like I'm not here, Frank." Joe accused letting his father check his pulse and fever. "I'm not that bad."

"Of course you're not," Frank said soothingly. "So if you aren't then let a doctor check over you and it will all be alright, right?"

Joe stared at him silently before slowly nodding, "Wait, where are you going?"

"Just over to talk with Nancy, don't worry, I'm not leaving the room." Frank stood and walked over to the female detective and the two of them walked to the door of the room. He could feel Joe's eyes following his every move as he kept Nancy company.

"He's watch your every move, you do know that right?"

Frank just laughed, "Of course I know that and I wouldn't expect anything less from Joe."

"Does he get fevers like this often?" She asked leaning against the wall her arms crossed.

"Not as much as he used to, when he was little it used to be a lot worse." Frank replied sighing. "I think Joe spent most of his younger years in the hospital, then Dad and our Aunt finally were taught how to take care of the fever at home.."


End file.
